Nicole Fuller, AFL-CIO Community Services liaison for the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania/Philadelphia Council (UWSEPA), reports on the effort to provide book bags for children in need.  

Five years ago, AFL-CIO Community Services liaison Janet Hammond Ryder, who is retiring this year, spearheaded a partnership with the UWSEPA, unions, local businesses and grassroots community leaders to raise money, collect school supplies and pack them in book bags and distribute them to children living in shelters in Philadelphia and three surrounding counties. Her vision dubbed “Stuff the Bus” is now being duplicated in sister United Way agencies. 

Unfortunately, the need for this effort has grown in these challenging economic times. Five years ago, some 1,700 backpacks were distributed in the Philadelphia area. Last year that count increased to 4,500.

To help our campaign grow this year, for the first time, Stuff the Bus partnered with the Cradles to Crayons Backpack-A-Thon effort. Cradles to Crayons is a fledgling local nonprofit based in Boston that provides free year-round resources to children up to age 10 years and to other nonprofit agencies and organizations. In addition to school supplies, they give away gently used clothing, shoes, toys, furniture and books. The two organizations felt that our combined resources and enthusiasm would encourage growth in our numbers and it surely did.

This signature event was held on a very rainy Thursday, Aug. 25, just days before Hurricane Irene struck the area. Our goal was to distribute 15,000 backpacks; however, our combined fundraising efforts yielded more than 17,000 backpacks that were given to needy children throughout the region.  

This partnership allowed us to provide more children with necessary school supplies. But it also showed us how much can be accomplished when the entire community gets involved and works together. There were CEOs, local labor leaders, rank-and-file members from area locals, community organization directors along with many young people working side by side for this worthwhile cause.

Special thanks are extended to UWSEPA board members Catherine Scott, president of AFSCME District Council 47, who served as co-chair of this effort, and Patrick Eiding, president of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO.